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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24858091">Closure</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/madrose_writing/pseuds/madrose_writing'>madrose_writing</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Closure, Comfort, Death of a loved one, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Love, Moving On, Muggle AU, Tom Riddle is a Sweetheart, Tom Riddle is a good guy, Unexpected Romance, alternative universe, draco is dead, gradual love, letting go, tomione - Freeform, unexpected love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:02:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,028</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24858091</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/madrose_writing/pseuds/madrose_writing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>All Hermione wants is to move on. To get her life back after the death of a loved one. She just never expected to find closure quite like this.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Tom Riddle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>100</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Closure</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I am on TikTok as madrose_writing so if you plan on sharing my content in any way, PLEASE TAG ME!</p><p>*currently I DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION to have this or any of my fics bound.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>CLOSURE</strong>
</p><p>Hermione wasn't sure what she had expected by turning down this street. Even just the familiarity of this neighborhood had blurred her vision before she even got to the right block. She had only made it to the first house on the street before she slammed on her breaks, making the car come to a screeching halt in the middle of the road. She had sat there, her knuckles turning white from how hard she gripped the steering wheel. She gnawed on her lower lip as she bit back a sob of frustration, made a hasty three-point-turn, and sped away.</p><p>It had taken two weeks before she tried it again. This time, she had made it halfway there before throwing her car into reverse, nearly clipping another car parked on the street. Every day since then she had made a little more progress. Each day she grew more frustrated at herself for trying.</p><p>And when she finally made it to the quaint one story house towards the end of the street, she couldn't stop the memories from surfacing. She sat, parked across the street, staring up at the white trim and faded yellow exterior. She remembered walking up to the garish red door, hand in hand, and then slowly leaning in for their first kiss. Even now, her lips buzzed at the memory. Of what she would never feel again.</p><p>More memories sprang forth, rapidly going in and out of focus in her mind's eye. From their first kiss, to the first time they had stumbled through the halls inside, leaving a trail of clothing in their wake, to the last time she had been here. The night where they'd had a fight and she left. The night he was headed to her flat to apologize, but when she opened the door, it was to two police officers with grim faces.</p><p>An ocean of tears let loose as she failed to remember the last time she had kissed him. She had been trying for the past year, but always came up empty. Instead, her mind kept circling to being taken down to identify the body. To claiming his belongings and discovering the jewelry box with an engagement ring inside. Currently, the ring was on a chain around her neck.</p><p>As she stared up at the house, she let her mind wander to what it would have been like if the drunk driver hadn't run the red light. She had been plagued with these thoughts for nearly a year. It was why she had decided to come by and see the house. She was ready to move on with her life; tired of being dragged down by hole in her heart. She hoped that by seeing this place again, it would be the closure she needed to start anew.</p><p>Only, seeing it again seemed to have the opposite effect. When the tears had finally abated enough for her to go home, different thoughts permeated her mind. Instead of putting it behind her, she could only think of what it would have been like if she hadn't left in the middle of their argument. If Draco were still alive today, how would he have proposed? Would she have moved in before he popped the question? Would they have gone on to have children?</p><p>All the what-ifs did nothing but bring her back to the house, time and time again. Every night after work and whenever she could on the weekends, she found herself parked across the street. She would relax in front seat, play all the songs that reminded her of him, and let her mind wander.</p><p>Realistically, she knew it was bound to happen, but she hadn't expected to see the current owner of the house. Wasn't expecting the reality that came crushing down around her daydreams. It had always upset her to know that his parents had cleared out his house and sold it so soon after hosting the wake at their house. She knew they weren't overly fond of her being outside their social circles, but she had hoped they would take Draco's love for her into consideration. Instead, they had told her she could keep the ring, but didn't let her have anything else. Aside from that and her memories, she had a single jersey from his college lacrosse days she slept in every night.</p><p>Whether or not the new owner ever saw her, she wasn't aware, however, it wasn't long before her dreams of what-ifs turned to wondering more about the current owner. She wondered if he had fixed all the things Draco said he would hire someone for and then never did. Or if he had made any changes to the interior. She even found herself wondering what his life was like and if he and Draco would have ever gotten along.</p><p>On the anniversary of Draco's death, she stopped at the florist on the way to the house after work. But just like all the nights before, she found it impossible to do anything other than sit in her car and stare across the street. As the streetlights began to come to life, Hermione knew it wouldn't be long until the man who lived there came home. With a deep breath, she gathered the bouquet up and made her way to the front porch.</p><p>Tears streamed down her face the closer she got and by the time she reached the door, her lashes were frozen together. She gently laid the flowers on top the welcome mat and pressed her hand against the door. "Goodbye, Draco," she whispered.</p><p>She stumbled forward when the door opened, her hands slipping down a bit. She stared at the new owner of the house and flushed from head-to-toe, realizing he had probably parked in the garage.</p><p>"I'm sorry!" she breathed, snatching her hand to her chest, her fingers curling around the ring at her throat for comfort. "I didn't think you were home."</p><p>The man's lips twitched slightly, but his grey eyes were full of amusement. "Whether I'm home or not doesn't seem to dissuade you from keeping watch of my house."</p><p>Hermione's lips parted in a gasp of horror and she cleared her throat. "I'm sorry. I d-didn't… I'm sorry."</p><p>His gaze dropped to the flowers on the ground between them before coming back to find hers. "Would you like to come in?"</p><p>She shook her head rapidly. "Oh no, I couldn't-"</p><p>"I insist," he said, offering a small smile as he opened the door a bit wider. "I highly doubt I'm in any danger given your poor stakeout skills."</p><p>She took another step back, shaking her head until she bounced off the banister of the porch. "I'm sorry. It won't… I won't… I'm sorry," she repeated. With one last look at the house, she raced back to her car, started it, and took off down the street.</p><hr/><p>Hermione had been able to stay away for two weeks before she found herself driving back down that road. She'd been embarrassed by not only being caught, but at having acting the way she did. This time, she intended to speak to the man who lived there. She'd even stopped by the local bakery and brought a peace offering with her. It only took her a few minutes that time to get out of the car and she even surprised herself by knocking.</p><p>"I was wondering when you'd return," he said, stepping back to let her in.</p><p>"No thank you," she said, holding out the pink box with the cupcakes inside. "I just wanted to say thank you for not having called the cops on me and that I won't be back."</p><p>He accepted the box and set it down on something she couldn't see just on the other side of the door. In the process, she saw a glimpse of the bouquet she had left the last time she was here. He followed her line of sight and smiled at her. "Were they for anyone in particular or were you actually stalking me?" he asked.</p><p>She cleared her throat and looked away, giving him a half smile. "I knew the man who lived here before you," she said, the words turning her tongue to sandpaper.</p><p>His grey eyes softened considerably as she began to tear up. "Ah," he replied. "I'm sorry for your loss."</p><p>"Thank you," she said, and after a moment of peering around him into the house, she turned and made her way to her car again.</p><hr/><p>She resumed her visits the following week, only this time, the man inside acknowledged her presence. It was always something; a wave, a nod, a smile. She never went up to the door again, just sat across the street and stared.</p><p>There was one night where she accidentally dozed off only to be startled awake by a sharp rap of knuckles against her window. It took her a moment to realize it was the man from the house and she rolled down her window to him, smiling despite the shade of crimson her skin turned. Without a word, he handed her a cup of coffee and then made his way back to the house.</p><p>That had started a new routine. The next night he was waiting for her, standing on the sidewalk next to where she usually parked. She rolled down her window and watched him smile as he handed her her coffee. "If you're going to continue your surveillance, I think it only fair we get to know each other better."</p><p>With a smile of her own, she nodded and watched as he walked around her car to sit in the passenger seat.</p><p>She learned quite a bit about him in the two weeks they spent talking in her car. His name was Tom Riddle. He worked at an art gallery down town. He was a few years shy of being a decade older than her, but he still held a youthful charm about him. He had grown up in an orphanage after his mother ran away from her family and died shortly after giving birth. He had found his biological father, but discovered he had passed a few years prior. He never bothered to look for any other relatives after that. He had graduated early from both secondary school and University, earning top marks along the way. And she learned they had a fair bit in common.</p><p>It was the most she had spoken to anyone since Draco's untimely death.</p><p>It was one particularly cold night that Tom insisted that it was too cold for them to be sitting outside. That she was more than welcome to come in and when he offered her his hand, she took it. He said nothing as she took a tentative step across the threshold, and looked around with wide eyes. Instead, he shut the door behind her and gave her some space to process being inside the house.</p><p>When she was sure she wasn't going to fall apart, she joined him in the kitchen. He handed her the mug and she let the heat chase away the chill in her fingers. He studied her intently, but had the decency not to ask the dreaded question of whether or not she was okay. The answer was always going to be no.</p><p>Aside from him having offered condolences the night she'd brought flowers, he hadn't pried. Most of the time, he did the talking. He led the conversation and she went with it. She gave him a few pieces of personal information, but nothing in relation to Draco or why she continued to come here.</p><p>"You're free to look around if you'd like," he said after a moment.</p><p>"No thank you," she replied softly.</p><p>He gave a curt nod as he leaned back against the counter. "What was he like?" he asked.</p><p>The question caught her off guard. She knew the subject would come up eventually, but not quite like that. Her lips quivered when she started to smile. "He was a real arsehole," she whispered. And before she knew it, laughter was bubbling past her lips as she recalled all the times they had riled each other. How they would chase each other through the halls, screaming at the top of their lungs because they were both too stubborn to admit when they were wrong. And how nine times out of ten, their argument would stop because neither could remember what they were even arguing about in the first place.</p><p>But as soon as it had started, the laughter turned to a choking sob and the cup slipped from her fingers. Tom was there, holding her up so she didn't fall into the mess she'd made. She clung to him as she fell apart remembering their last fight. Just like so many others before, the topic was lost to her, but whatever it was, it had been enough to make her storm out. She jumped in Tom's arms as the memory of the door slamming echoed through her mind.</p><hr/><p>Hermione wasn't sure how long Tom had been holding her up, but he never complained. She had politely excused herself to the bathroom and freshened up a bit only to return and find him cleaning up her mess. She dropped to the floor beside him without a word and began to help. Once it was taken care of, she made mention of needing to leave so he walked her to her car and saw her off.</p><p>It was a few days before she went back. When she did, she wasn't surprised that he wasn't outside waiting for her. What did surprise her was how quickly she got out of her car and strode up to the door. It was when she lifted her hand to knock that she realized she hadn't hesitated. But before she could contemplate anything further, Tom was opening the door and gesturing for her to come inside. He didn't even wait for her decision before returning to the kitchen.</p><p>The smell of roasted chicken hit her nostrils as she stepped inside and closed the door. "Sorry to intrude, I-"</p><p>"I believe we're well past the point of intrusion," he interrupted as he went about stirring something on the stove. When he turned towards her, he approached, one hand holding a wooden spoon, the other underneath. He held it out to her and she tasted it without thinking.</p><p>Her stomach gurgled the moment the gravy hit her tongue. "That's delicious."</p><p>"You're welcome to stay. I made enough," he said, returning to the stove.</p><p>A part of her wanted to run; to get in her car, drive, and never come back. The other part of her welcomed the idea of having someone she could talk to. "I'll try to refrain from breaking anymore of your dishes," she heard herself say.</p><p>She saw the smirk on his face despite the fact that he was paying attention to the other pot on the stove. "I suppose I should count my blessings I have paper plates then."</p><p>The laugh she gave helped ease the tension in her shoulders and before she knew it, she was helping him around the kitchen. They spoke of their day as well as the ones in between she had stayed away for. By the time they had finished their meal, they had caught up and moved onto other topics. Not one to dine and dash, she even helped him clean up though he tried to insist otherwise.</p><p>It was when she was putting the last dish on the rack to dry that something shifted in the air around them. She closed her eyes as she felt his hand brush over hers to take the towel and hang it back over the oven handle. She shivered as she dragged her lower lip between her teeth for a moment. Tom placed his hand over hers again. He was hesitant at first, but when his intention became clear, she froze.</p><p>After a moment, the warmth of his touch sent chills over her skin. She turned to him, keeping her face lowered. His other hand found its way to her chin and soon, two fingers were pressing against her skin, lifting her gaze up to his. She kept her eyes closed and held her breath as she felt him leaning in. At the last second, she jumped back with a gasp and wiped the tears from her face.</p><p>"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice just as shaky as the rest of her. "I can't do this."</p><p>Whether or not he tried to come after her, Hermione never knew. She just bolted from the house and drove home with tears in her eyes and lips buzzing with the desire to go back and be touched by Tom's.</p><hr/><p>It was the guilt that kept her away. Guilt of the fact that she couldn't remember the last time she had kissed Draco. That she felt she couldn't move on until she remembered. That she might be betraying his memory by moving on at all. It seemed that in going to the house to get closure, she had made it harder to let go of the past instead.</p><p>Realistically, she knew she never had to see Tom again. Never had to drive down that street. Never had to explain herself for running away. But the nagging voice in the back of her mind refused to let it go. After only a few days of feeling overwhelmed with guilt not only for Draco, but for Tom as well, she found herself back in front of the house.</p><p>He must have seen her approach because he was standing there with the door open for her when she ascended the porch steps. He closed the door behind her and they stood face to face in the few tiles that made up the foyer.</p><p>"I can't remember the last time I kissed him," she whispered, realizing it was the first time she had ever said it out loud. "I don't remember the last time he put his arms around me or told me that he loved me."</p><p>"Hermione-"</p><p>She shook her head and held up her hand, signaling to let her finish. "All I remember is the fight we had; not what it was about, just that we had one. Whatever it was, I left because of it." She drew in a shaky breath as she stared up at him, her vision swimming with tears. "I left and that was it." She shook her head as they began to stream down her face. "I never…" her voice broke. "I never even said goodbye!"</p><p>Yet again, he was there to catch her from falling. Only this time, he sank to the ground with her rather than holding her up. He still drew her to him and allowed her to drench his shirt with her sobs. His hands alternated between rubbing slow, steady circles into her back as well as stroking her in a soothing manner.</p><p>"I'm sorry," she whispered when her sobs dissolved to hiccups.</p><p>"You don't have to apologize for grieving, Hermione."</p><p>She relaxed against him, feeling slightly freer now that she had said all of that aloud for the first time. And just as always, he never complained as they sat in the middle of the foyer until she felt strong enough to pick herself up off the floor. Only this time, she didn't feel the overwhelming desire to run away.</p><hr/><p>Even with the holidays fast approaching, Hermione found herself still wanting to spend as much of her days with Tom as she could. He never asked about her plans, nor did she ask about his. Asking would have implied there was more to them than what their was. Not that she would know what that was exactly. So she continued to show up every day. Some times he had cooked something for dinner, though she quickly discovered he only knew a handful of dishes. Other nights they ordered in or he picked something up on his way home.</p><p>Unsure about whether or not he would want to spend the actual holidays with her at his house, she never got to know. Her parents had made a surprise trip home from their retirement in Australia and stayed with her. They were leaving on the thirtieth, meaning unless she went to Tom's, she would be ringing in the new year alone.</p><p>When her parents had left, she spent that night pondering her choices. By the time the sun began to set the next day, she still hadn't made up her mind. Yet, the closer it got to midnight, the more she couldn't stand the fact that it would be the second year in a row she'd spent it alone. Without even pausing to wonder if he had people over or had gone out, Hermione found herself in her car and driving to his house.</p><p>This time, she pulled into the driveway, her heart hammering a mile a minute against her ribs as she dashed up the steps to the front door. She had barely started knocking before the door opened, revealing Tom on the other side. She smiled as she crossed the threshold and peered around him into the living room.</p><p>"You're alone?"</p><p>"Not anymore."</p><p>She smiled at him. "Why didn't you go out?"</p><p>He gave a small shrug. "Why didn't you?"</p><p>"They say how you spend your New Year's Eve is how you'll spend the rest of the year," she said, keeping her eyes on his. "Last year, I spent it alone, sobbing into my pillow." She took a step closer, her hands landing on his chest. "I don't want to be alone anymore."</p><p>His arms wrapped around her without any further prompting required, but he hesitated as he dropped his forehead down to hers. "Hermione-"</p><p>"I started coming here because I wanted closure," she said, her eyes closing against tears. "I'm ready to move on and I can't if I keep letting myself feel guilty over this." She tilted her face up to his and raised a hand to cup his face. "I want this, Tom. I'm-"</p><p>She froze as his lips pressed tightly to hers, effectively rendering her speechless.</p><p>Hermione had been prepared for the guilt. It took everything she had to not wrench herself away and allow it to drown her. But Tom seemed to have anticipated it too. He tightened his hold on her, but otherwise remained patient. He never tried to deepen the kiss, nor did he pull away when tears began to stream down her face and wet their lips.</p><p>By the time she did pull her lips from his, the bubble of guilt had already burst. She buried her face into his chest as she sighed with relief. A huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders and when she could breathe without the guilt squeezing her lungs, she lifted her head and sought his lips again. And when the clock finally struck midnight, she'd lost count of how many kisses they had already shared.</p><hr/><p>It wasn't long before they had decided to take their rendezvous outside of the house. Hermione had hesitated when he first asked to take her out to dinner, but by the time she left for the night, she was looking forward to going out. By the end of January, the nights they went out were higher than the ones they stayed in for.</p><p>Hermione enjoyed being with him. It was easier that she ever could have imagined. In fact, the more time she spent with him, the less guilt she felt. He was patient with her, never pushing for more and always letting her set the pace. He never asked for an explanation when her tears flavored their kiss or when she pulled away when things began to escalate on his couch. He simply held her or assured her in every which way that it would never both him to take things as slow as she needed. He never even so much as flinched when she talked about Draco.</p><p>On the nights where they did choose to stay in, they often found themselves on the couch. Sometimes they would be curled up to watch a movie while others they would simply read in silence, enjoying their proximity. As was often the case with choosing to watch a movie, it quickly became background noise for other activities to occur. One night in early February was no different.</p><p>As per usual, they found themselves in the midst of a lip-lock for the ages. Hermione was beneath him on the couch, his body cradled between her thighs. Her head tilted to the side as his lips trailed down her throat so they could catch their breath. The nips of his teeth on her flesh distracted her from the way his hand slid up the outside of her thigh, her skin bare from the skirt of her dress having succumbed to gravity. He sucked at her clavicle, causing not only her back to arch, but his hand to graze over her core.</p><p>She shuddered and he began to pull his hand away, but she surprised them both by wrapping her fingers around his wrist to keep him there. His head lifted slightly and his eyes searched hers. She gave the slightest of nods and let go of him. She bit her lip to stifle a moan as his hesitant fingers sought her core. Her eyelids fluttered as her body jerked from him having found her clit through her knickers.</p><p>Tom kept his touch light, letting her get used to his touch. When her hips began to rise in search of more, she felt his fingers curl along the edge of her knickers and pull them to the side. She sucked in a breath and held it, her eyes falling shut. Her entire body went still as his parted her folds with one finger. Slowly, he collected the arousal that her body produced and ran it up to spread across her clit. The breath rushed from her lungs in a whine and she swallowed hard as he continued to tease her.</p><p>She nodded again, ready, <em>desperate</em> for more, and half sighed, half moaned with relief as he sunk two fingers into her core. Her body clenched around him, adjusting to the welcomed intrusion. Though it had been well over a year since she'd last been touched this way, her body remembered what it was like. And as she lost herself to the pleasure of his touch, she was sure her body would never let her forget this feeling for quite some time.</p><p>Tom's fingers curled inside of her, pressing against a spot that made her vision swim. The combination of that and his thumb against her clit was quickly pushing her over the edge. All the while, he stared down at her from where he propped himself up on his other elbow. The intensity of his gaze made her shiver. Holding his gaze, she let herself go and shattered.</p><p>It was while she was amidst the stars that she remembered.</p><p>It had been the morning of their fight. She had woken in his bed, the sheets tightly wound around her body. She felt something warm against her cheek and turned her face towards it, nuzzling as he called her name. She had blinked her eyes open to see Draco standing over her, fully dressed. He had told her they'd moved up the meeting, but he would see her later for dinner. Before she could even try and convince him to skip his meeting, his lips were pressing against hers and then he was gone.</p><p>They had been too busy gathering their things to kiss goodbye and later that night, the fight had started so quickly, they'd never even kissed hello.</p><p>When Hermione returned to the present, she felt the tears on her skin. She felt them sliding back into her hair as her body trembled from quiet sobs and waves of pleasure. She felt his thumb brushing them from her cheeks and she tried to smile despite the quiver of her lips. And before she knew it, he was sitting back to draw her over his lap. Her head fell onto his chest as her arm came up to pluck at his shirt. His arms wound around her, his hands stroking her back.</p><p>"I finally remembered," she said softly. "The last time he kissed me."</p><p>"Hermione-"</p><p>She shook her head and pushed herself up. She cupped his face with one hand and pressed her lips to his. "Thank you," she whispered once she rested her forehead against his. "For understanding. For being so patient with me."</p><p>His hand rose up between them and she went still at the sight of him taking the engagement ring between his forefinger and thumb. She pulled back slightly, watching as he brought it to his lips and then gently letting go. Her lashes fluttered against a fresh onslaught of tears before she closed the gap between them and laid her lips over hers once more. For the rest of the night, they tried their best to communicate that they understood one another perfectly. All without saying one word.</p><hr/><p>As Spring began to chase away the chill of winter, there was only one last hurdle to cross between her and Tom. Since that first delve into the expansion of their relationship, they had continued to explore what each other had to offer. And just like with everything else leading up to that point, he let her take the lead. But each time they met, they got closer and closer to crossing that bridge. Each time it was harder for her to pull away. Harder still for him to let her.</p><p>It was a random Tuesday in late April when she made the decision to face her fears.</p><p>It had started out like any one of their usual night. She had driven herself over to his house after work where they left shortly after to get dinner. The mood had struck her the moment the moment they took their seats in the restaurant. He was the worst deterrent; she realized far too late that he quite the thing for public displays of affection. And their hot and heavy routine had extended to the car ride home where she'd spent the drive with her hand in his lap.</p><p>Having worked themselves both up quite a bit, it was of no surprise when he pressed her up against the car after pulling up in the driveway. By the time they had even made it to the front door, they had already began tearing at one another's clothes. With a skill she would never possess, he unlocked the door with his lips firmly attached to her neck, her fingers tugging at his hair. They stumbled inside with a unified gasp. He was quick to react, lifting her to keep them from falling. Her legs locked around his waist as he kicked the door closed.</p><p>It wasn't until her head hit the door frame, earning a groan and a laugh from both of them, that she realized they had made it down the hall to the master bedroom. He had felt her tense up and gently laid his lips to hers before placing her down on her feet. She gazed around with wide-eyes, taking in the sight. The current bedroom set began to blur with the way it had once been; the way it had always appeared in her memories.</p><p>And for the first time, she found there were no tears gathered in her eyes.</p><p>Tom was there, his arms wrapping around her from behind. She relaxed into his embrace a moment before turning around to face him. Just as she had with all of their previous encounters, she smiled, took a deep breath, and gave him a nod.</p><p>He studied her for a moment before leaning in and pillowing their lips together. The feel of his tongue caressing hers sent a jolt of desire straight to her core. His fingers danced along her body, divulging her of her clothes until she stood bare before him. He stepped back, taking in the sight of her a moment before reaching for her hands and leading her towards the bed.</p><p>She returned the favor, making sure he was void of any clothes before either of them climbed onto the bed. It wasn't as though their bodies were new to one another, but they spent a fair bit of time exploring as if they were. And when it felt as though every inch of her had been thoroughly savored and worshiped, he settled himself between thighs. With one last look for approval, one that she gave with a nod, he was there, putting the final piece that was the puzzle of her heart back into place.</p><hr/><p>Their time together passed by in a blur from that moment onward. The memory of Draco still lingered at the back of her mind, but it had been a long time since she'd felt any guilt. Not even when Tom had asked her to move in with him that summer. Not even when Tom had gotten down on one knee in front of their friends and family a year later. She had said yes without hesitation and when he slid the ring onto her finger, she felt nothing but pure joy.</p><p>She loved Tom. She could easily envision their lives together, but there was one last thing she had to do in order to truly put the past behind her. It was later that night when the time felt right. As she stood in front of her dresser; one hand curled around the ring that had been meant for her while she stared at the ring that was actually hers, she knew it was time.</p><p>That was how Tom found her. He approached carefully, his arms sliding around her from behind. He placed a kiss to her shoulder and then settled his chin above her head. "You don't have to take it off," he said, keeping his voice light.</p><p>A smile graced her lips as she relaxed against him. It was one of the many reasons she loved him. In the near two years they had been together, he let her take as much time as she needed to deal with her loss. "I know," she whispered, tipping her chin down. "But it's time."</p><p>He helped her undo the clasp on the chain. It felt strange to have it dangling from her fingers. She hadn't taken it off since she'd placed it around her neck three years ago. She redid the clasp and placed the ring into the jewelry box she had kept. She stared down at it, a single tear sliding down her cheek as a farewell. With steadier hands than she ever thought possible, she closed the little box and tucked it into the drawer beneath her clothes.</p><p>She turned in Tom's arms and buried her head into his chest. He held her tight and stroked her back in a way that always soothed the ache in her soul. It was his way of telling her that he had long ago made peace with the fact that Draco would always have a place in her heart. She was more grateful for Tom than she could ever tell him. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that no one else would have been as patient or as understand as he had been. Anyone else would have been frustrated at her for loving someone else's ghost.</p><p>Someday she would be able to properly convey how much he meant to her, but in the meantime, she would have to keep trying. And later that night, as she drifted off to sleep in Tom's arms, she felt Draco's presence in the room. Felt the ghost of his touch on her cheek as well her lips buzzing with the memory of touching his. And in that single moment, she knew she had finally gotten the closure she had been longing for.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am the worst at replying to comments, but I read every single one that comes my way. Just know that your words have put a smile on my face. Thank you!</p><p>Feel free to join/follow me on FB and TikTok @madrose_writing</p><p>If you're interested in my writing outside of fanfiction, you can signup for my newsletter on madrosewriting.com</p></blockquote></div></div>
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